Electrically-propelled vehicle.



W. LEONARD. ELEGTRIOALLY PROPELLED VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED APRflS, 1908v Patented Dec. 15, 1914 3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

I vwemtoz $1 l 61mm M di -0%,

witnesses fl A H. W. LEONARD.

ELEGTRIOALLY PROPELLED VEHICLE. APPLICATION FILED APR.13, 1908 1,121,381, Patented De0.15,1914.

H. W. LEONARD. ELEGTRIOALLY PROPELLED VEHICLE.

APPLIOATIONFILED APR.13, 1908. 1 121 381. Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

nienasi.

are AT ii are ELECTRICALLY-PRQPELLED -VEEICLE;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15,1914.

ori inal application filed March-2, 1903, Serial No. masses mviaeeana this application filed April 1a,

1908. Serial no. 4%,64z03 To all whom it may-concern Be it known that I, HARRY WARD LEON- Am), a citizen of the United States, resid ing at Bronxvillain the county ofWestchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements' in Electrically-Propelled Vehicles, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This application is a division of my pending application Serial No. 145,686, filed March 2, 1903.

My invention relates to various devices and more especially to that class or" vehicles in which an engine'is employed for driving a dynamo electric machine which supplies energy toone or more propelling electric motors.

The principal object of my invention when applied to vehicles is to secure more perfect control of the speed and tractive efi'ort over the'wide range desirable in order to-secure the best results in practice.

Further objects of my invention are the reduction of wear, breakage, noise, strain and shock present in apparatus of this general character as heretofore proposed; the utilization of the'simplest, cheapest and bestiorm of prime mover under conditions most favorable for its use; and the use of electric motors iorprop-ellin the vehicle under conditions most favorab e to theirefiiciency and durability.

The. principal features of my invention when applied to vehicles may be briefly stated as follows: I develop upon the vehicle itsell by means of a prime mover, such as a gasolene engine, power employed in the propulsion'of the vehicle, and this power-is transformed into electric energy, the electromotive force of which is controllable over a wide range at the -will of the operator. This electric-energy is supplied to one or more propelling motors at such a voltage and current as will cause the vehicle to travel at the speed desired according to the road surfaces and grades met with. In practice the-electricaltransmission as l employ it replaces the usual mechanical variable or change speed gear, althoughlin some instances l'ma employ such a gear in addition to the e ectricalcontrol or electrical transmission gear as it may be termed."

Certain forms of my invention are illustrated' in the accompanyingdrawings, in

which- Figure l is a diagrammatic illustration of a motor truck in which'b'oth generating and propelling apparatus are located inthe front oi the truck, the'propellingmotors being connected with longitudinal shafts which are-connected through worm gears with reduction gears on the driven shafts; Fig; 2 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of certain features of my invention, the arrangement ofthe driving wheels being a modification of that illustrated in- Fig. 1; 3, 4, 5 and 6 are detail views illustrating driving connections which may be employed; Fig: i is a diagram illustrating another form ofniy invention; and Fig. 8 is a diagram of still another'forin of my invention.

in 1, I have illustrated a driving connection fora truckhavin the engine, generator and propelling motors located at the front ofthe truck where such apparatus will be spring supported re tive to the axles. The driving she-ft U 1 double worm: olengagingvrorm wheels attach'ed t0 the drivin ears connected with the rear axle. This double worm drive is employed so as to balance end thrust. Shaft D is also provided with two Cardan joints d and an endwise sliding sleeve (1, which joints and sleeve impart'fi'exibilityto the shaft. Itwillbe understood that two such shafts D will be employed on each side of the-vehicle, one foreach propelling motor. lt ivvill oe-noted that the-weight of the-wheel and the parts moving infleXi-bly with it is reduced to a=mininiuni by-this arrangement, the-importance of which iswel-l known. lhe forward wheels are preferably provided with wertical pivots'for steering.

in. Fig. 2, l have shown two double cylinder engines E, E of-the internal combustion type having their shafts connected by a clutch, and it will be understood that the appara-tile shown in Fig. 2 will be carried-by the'vehicle. Mounted upon the shafts of the gasengines are two dynamo electric-generating machines G G which are driven by the engines and snpply electric energy to the propellinm motors. The fieldwinding; of machinea is-connected across its armature terminals and isadjustable by means of a rheostat for varying the field strength of provided with a i the machine. The field winding of machine G is also connected across the armature terminals of machine G but through a reversing rheostat R. Across the armature ten minals of machine G I have connected the It will be understood that the energy supplied to the armatures of the working motors through the agency of machines Gr and Gr can be Varied at will from zero to the combined electromotive force of both machines by adjusting the field of machine G so that its electromotive force will either oppose or assist-the electromotive force of machine Gr bymeans of rh eostat B. This arrangement in itself would give a very wide rangeof speed for the propelling motors, the armatures of which are shown connected in series with the armatures of machines Gr and G which latter armatures are shown connected in series with each other and with the motor armatures. From the shunt machine Gr may be supplied energy for .an electric heater, a fan motor, incandescent or are lamps, storage battery or other apparatus. The four motors A, B, A and B, although illustrated as connected inseries, it will be. understood that they may be connected in parallelfand may be controlled by a series parallel controller for the purpose of still further varying the range of torque and speed of the vehicle. I have also shown a normally open circuit 17 and a switch 18 whereby in case of a break-down of one of the engines E, or of one of the generators or motors, said circuit 17 may be closed and the other half of the system continued in operation which imparts greater reliability to the system. It will be understood that if machine G breaks down, machine Gr should have its field circuit connected in shunt across its armature.

In Fig. 2,,1 have also illustrated the propelling motors as operating in pairs upon a traction'wheel, thus motor A, 'B drive one traction wheel, and motors A, B drive the other traction wheel. The driving connection is illustratedv in Fig. 3, in which the traction wheel is provided with an internally toothed gear wheel K with which the pinions on the armature shaft engage at diametrically'opposite points so as to drive the wheel with the least strain and friction on the central bearing on which the hub of the wheel turns. A modification of this driving connection is illustrated in Fig. 4 inwhich the traction wheel is rovided with a double sprocket wheel K riven by two sprocket chains from small sprocket wheels the driving wheels.

"of the wheel hub so as to make a balanced driving couple whichgives best results when very heavy eflorts have to be transmitted to In Fig. 5, I have shown the driving connection of Fig. 1, the shaft in this case being driven by two motors A, B. A modification of the arrangement shown in Fig. 5 is shown in Fig. 6, wherein two driving shafts are employed, and one motor for each shaft, the double balanced worms being so arranged that their eifort is at opposite ends of the same diameter.

In Fig. '7, I have illustrated a form of series parallel controller similar to that shown in Fig. 3 of my original application for securing series parallel connection of the four motors-of Fig. 2, the machines for supplying energy to the motors being of the form shown in Fig. 2. The field windings of the motors are connected in multiple arc relation across circuit 3, 4 with a resistance in series with each winding for the purpose of adjust'ng the fields relatively to each other. ircuit 3, 4, is connected across circuit 1, 2 extending from the armature terminals of generator G conductor 4 being attached to a stationary contact adapted to make contact with plates 4r? and 4 which are connected with con-' ductor 2. The armature circuit 5', 6 from machines G G is connected. with brushes or other suitable contacts engaging plates 5 and 6 and between these plates are connected a series of moving contacts, M, SM

and S with which the. stationary contacts towhich the armature windings of the motors are connected, make contact- With the three sets of contacts arranged as shown,

the four armature windings will be connected in multiple arc relation when the statlonary contacts are on plates M; when on plates SM two armature windings will be in series, and the other two armature windings will be in series, the two series be 1ng connected across the line in multiple arc relation; and when the stationary contacts are on the plates S the four armature windings will be in series across the line. In this diagram I have shown the intermediate steps supplied with resistances so as to pass smoothly from one arrangement of the armature windings to the next. The ar rangement of windings and connections illustrated gives three torques with the ratios of one, two and four, with a certain number of amperes supplied to the motor circuit and constant motor fields. When the windings of the motor armatures are further range of speed. The electromotive force of the circuit supplying the motors can be varied from zero to the combined electromotive forces of machines Grfl Gr as above explained to vary the energy supplied 5 to the armatures of the propelling motors, and the fields of the propelling motors can also be varied so as to secure the widest ossible range in speed and torque. It will e understood that the speed of the vehicle is gradually increased by movement of the controlling switch shown in Fig. 7 to the left, giving 'firstthe full series connection of the armature winding, then series multiple connections, then the full multiple connections of the motor armature windings and then further increase in speed by weakening the fields of the motors by the insertion of resistances 4" in the field circuit of the motor field windings, and that a gradual 20. decrease in speed is obtained by the reverse movement of thecontrolling switch.

In Fig. 8, I have illustrated a modification of the system of Fig. 2, but have not carried out the various connections for the armatures of'th e propelling motors, it being understood however, that the armatures may be connected up in the same or similar successive steps for securing series parallel control of the motors by means of a controller of the form illustrated inFig. 7. In

Fig. '8, E represents a four cylinder gasolene engine and G and G? dynamo electric machines driven by said engme, and X an exciter also driven by said engine. The field windings of the two machines G and G ,are connected in parallel across the armature terminals of exciter X, through a reversing rheostat R, a reversing rheostat R being connected in each field circuit. The revers- 40 ing rheostat R affordsmeans for similarly and simultaneousl adjusting and reversing the fields of mac ines G, G The field windings of the motors A, B, A and B are connected in parallel across the' armature 415 terminals of exciter X. The energy supplied to the armatures of the propelling motors can be varied from zero to max mum in either direction by adjusting the reversing rheostats R relatively to each other. A

. 0 rheostat is inserted in the field circuit of each motor as indicated in the drawing at R for adjusting the fields relatively to each other, and another rheostat as indicated at R is connected in the circuit leading to those ffields from exciter-X for the urpose of regulating all the motor fields simultaneously and similarly. I have shown a series parallel switch SP in the armature circuitsof G andG whereby the arma- 6e ."turesof the said machines may be connected in series-orin parallelto supply energy to the' armatures of the working motors. The armature circuit 11, and 12 of machine G is connected to movable switch blades 11, 12-and the armature-circuit 13, l'of machine G is connected to movable switch blades 13, 14. ,The armature circuit 15, 16 for the working motors is. connected in two branches with stationary contacts SP. It will be observed that when the movable contacts are brought into engagement with stationary contacts S, the circuit connections will be as follows: from armature G by conductor ll to the first contact S, from that contact to the third contact S, to movable contact 14 and conductor lt to the armature of machine G and from that armature by conductor 13 to movable contact 13 and the fourth stationary contact S and from that contact 'to conductor 15 to the armatures of the working motors and from the working motors by conductor 16 to the second stationary contact S and from that contact by movable contact 12 and conductor 12 back to the armature of machine G. When the movable switch blades are moved into contact With stationary contacts- P the two armatureswill act in parallel; the circuit from machine Gr being by the way, of conductor 11,'blade 11, first contact 93- P and conductor 15 to the motor armatures and from the motor armatures by conductor 16 to the second stationary contact P and by blade 12 and conductor 12 back to the armature of machine G; the circuit from 95 the armature of machine G will be by conductor and blade 13 to the fourth stationary contact P and by conductor 15 to the motor .electromoti've forces of both machines and in either sense. The reversing rheostatR 11 may .be employed when the armatures of machines G and Gr are connected in multiple or in series so that when varying the energy supplied by those machines, by varying their fields simultaneously and to the same extent, they will divide equally the total load.

With the arrangement of Fig. ,8 applied to a truck and when working on heaviest duty, as for instance on the worst grades met with, the armatures of machines G and G will be connected in multiple and the armatures of the four propelling motors will be connectedin series. For obtaining the maximum speed on a level, the armatures of machines G G will be connected in series and the armatures of the four propelling motors will be connected in multiple. The relative values of these connections will be 'as follows, assuming that the energy developed in each of the machines G and G is 100 volts and 50 amperes, and assuming also that the capacity of each of the working motors with full fields is 200 volts and 100 amperes: For maximum torque we will have a torque due to 10 0 amperes 4=400 and the speed would be that due to 10.0 volts For maximum speed on a level we will have a speed due to200 volts on each motor armature, and hence the speed will be 8 times as much as in the first instance and the torque will be that due to 50 amperes, that is, the torque willbei; of the maximum tor ue. By weakening the fields of the propelllng motors the speed can be still further increased or more with a corresponding reduction of torque for the sameamperes. In many instances a truck provided with two generators and two motors with one exciter will give sufiiciently ood results. Such a combination will 'Ve r heaviest grades a maximum torque generators in multiple) due to 50 amperes+50 amperes=100 A. 2 motors in series=200 and a corresponding speed due to two motors in series 100 volts: 50. This combination on a level will give a maximum speed (without varying motor fields) due to 100 volts-+100 volts:200 and a corresponding torque due to 5O amperes in each armature, and two armatures in multiple gives a torque due to 50 amperes. This last arrangement will give an electrical gear having a reduction of 4 to 1 and by weakening the motor fields the reduction can be made 5 to 1 or 6 to 1. With the arrangement illustrated inFig. 8vwe can obtain a reduction of '8 to 1 without varying the motor fields and by motor field regulation we can obtain an electrical gearing having a reduction variable from'l to 10 with-a speed variable from 10 to 1.

It will be seen that if the electromotive force of the generator, or generators supplying energy to the circuit, 18 lower than that of the opposing electromotive forces the circuit, as may be the case in going down grades or in retarding the machine, the armature of the generator will be driven as a motor and act to retard or limit the speed of the vehicle to any desired amount. I may therefore cause the vehicle to be retarded by lowering the electromotive force of the generator by weakening its field as by means of the rheostat; the motors will then act as generators and supply energy to the generator which now acts as a motor. Since the vehicle when going down grade can be reversed and caused to back up the grade, it

will be apparent that by placing the conbe just sufficient to balance the tendency of the vehicle to move down the grade b virtue of its weight. My invention there ore affords a simple arrangement for holding the vehicle stationary when either going up a grade or go-in down a rade and without the necessity 0 using bra es.

While I have shown separate dynamo elec- "tric generators and dynamo electric motors as the means for transmitting electrically the energy of the prime mover to the wheels, it will be understood'that my invention is not limited to such means but may cover any suitable means for electrically transmitting the power of the prime mover to the driven device or devices.

While I have shown and described certain forms of my invention, it will be understood that the scope of my invention is not con fined thereto, and that 'I am limited only as indicated in the following claims.

\ Having thus described my invention, I declare that what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

1. The combination of a source of electromotive force, two electric motors supplied with energy from said source, the armatures of said motors being connected in series with each other, means for separately exciting a field winding of each of said motors, a common driven element, drivin means between each of said motors and sai driven element for driving said element at a plurality of points of application, and

means for varying the elect'romotive force of said source and for causing said motors to act as generators for electro-dynamically braking said element.

2. The combination in a vehicle of two tractive wheels adapted to be operated at different relative speeds, gearing mechanism acting upon said wheels to apply a driving effort at a plurality of points of application, an electric motor in driving relation to the gearing mechanism of each wheel respectively, a dynamic source of electric energyfor supplying at least one winding of each of said motors, and means for varying the electromot1ve force of said source and for causing said motors to act as generators for,

electro-dynamically braking the vehicle.

3. In an electrically propelled Vehicle,'two independently movable tractive wheels, gearing mechanism for applying a driving effort in two divisions to each of said wheels, two driving electric motors for each of said wheels, and means for connecting the armatures of the two motors of each wheel in series.

4. In an electrically propelled vehicle,

twoindependently movable tractive wheels,

gearing mechanism for applying a driving effort to each of said wheels in two approximately equal divisions, two driving electric mo ors for said wheels respectively, a separatel, excited generator for supplying energy to said motors, an internal combustion engine for supplying power to said generator, and controlling means whereby the generator may be caused to supply to the motors a current for holding the vehicle stationary upon a grade.

5. In an electrically propelled vehicle, two independently movable tractive wheels, gearing mechanism for applying a driving 15 effort to each of said wheels in two approximately equal divisions, two driving electric motors, a separately excited generator for supplying energy to said motors, an internal combustion engine for supplying power to said generator, and controlling means whereby a current may be caused to flow through the motor armatures for braking purposes.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

HARRY WARD LEONARD.

Witnesses:

B. E. SMYTHE, GEO. N. KERR. 

